Book strap

ABSTRACT

A book strap is formed from three elastic elongate strips, secured to each other in cross-like configuration and having fasteners at the ends of the strips to enable the strips to be wrapped about a package such as one or more books or the like and secured at their ends. Two of three straps are arranged so that when fastened to the package, an end portion of each defines a loop which serves as a handle to carry the package.

United States Patent [1 Foley BOOK STRAP [76] Inventor: Gerard X. Foley,44 Franklin Ave.,

New Rochelle, NY. 10805 [22] Filed: Feb. 4, 1974 211 App]. No.: 439,240

521 user 224/55, 224/58, 224/28A 51 lnt.Cl. ..B65d63/16 [58] Field ofSearch ..224/49-58,'

224/45 F, 45 L, 45 M, 45 N, 45 D, 5.12,

lfiol References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 734,934 7/1903 Palmer224/55 3,023,941 3/1962 Foley 224/58 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONSl8l,372 1/1923 France 224/28 Feb. 11, 1975 Primary Examiner-Albert .I.Makay Assistant ExaminerKenneth Noland Attorney, Agent, or FirmWolf,Greenfield & Sacks [5 7 ABSTRACT A book strap is formed from threeelastic elongate strips, secured to each other in cross-likeconfiguration and having fasteners at the ends of the strips to enablethe strips to be wrapped about a package such as one or more books orthe like and secured at their ends. Two of three straps are arranged sothat when fastened to the package, an end portion of each defines a loopwhich serves as a handle to carry the package.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 BOOK STRAP BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION My invention relates to carrying devices and, moreparticularly, to an improved strap arrangement for carrying a packagesuch as a number of books or the like. The device is made from threeelastic straps, two of which define a parallel pair in which an endportion of each overlaps an end portion of the other. The overlap pingend of each of the straps is movably connected to the other strap in thepair. A third strap is disposed perpendicular to the pair of first twostraps and all three straps are securedto each other at a common pointso that they may define a cross-like configuration. The outermost endsof the straps include fastening members which enabled the straparrangement to be wrapped about the package with the central connectionon one side of the package and the ends of the straps connected to eachother at the opposite side of the package. The overlapping ends of thestraps in the first pair may be arranged in loops to form carryinghandles. The straps are preferably fabricated from an elastic materialwhich also has goods surface frictional characteristics to enhancefurther then on the package.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved packagecarrying strap.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carrying strap whichcan easily be attached and detached from the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrying strap which canbe stretched to fit the package in size and which will retain a varietyof package sizes and shapes. v v

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved book strapwhich can be folded to a compact size when not in use and whichisparticularly attractive to children of school age.

DESCRIPTION or THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects and radvantages of DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows thedevice with its various strips laid out in a fiat configuration. Thedevice is made from three elongate, flat, elastic straps 1-0, 12, 14.The straps 10, 12 may be considered as defining a pair. The pair ofstraps 10, 12 are arranged so that when laid out flat as shown in FIG. 1their inner ends 16, 18, respectively, overlap each other. The outerends 20, 22 of the straps 10, 12 extend outwardly beyond theirassociated inner ends l6, 18. The third strap 14 lies perpendicular tothe pair of straps 10, 12 and intersects the pair preferably at alocation intermediate the distance between inner end 16 of strap andinner end 18 of strap 12. A suitable fastener 24 such as a rivetedbutton or the like, secures the three straps together at theirintersection. In the embodiment shown, the short segment of the sec- 0ndstrap underlies the long segment of the first strap and the shortsegment of the first strap overlies the long segment of the secondstrap. The first and second straps may be of the same length as may bethe short segments of each of the straps.

The outermost ends of the straps 10, 12, 14 include fasteners such asthose shown which may consist of a ring 26 secured to the outer end ofthe strap 12 and hooks 28 secured to the opposite outer ends of thestrap 14 and to the outermost end of strap 10. The ring 26 and hooks 28enable the device to be attached to a package in the manner suggested inFIG. 2 in which the fastened intersection of the straps is disposed onone side of the package 30 and the free outermost ends of the straps arewrapped about the package 30 where the hooks 28 can be easily connectedto the ring 26.

The inner ends 16, 18 of the straps 10, 12 each include a slide ring 32through which is passed the adjacent portion of the other strap in thepair. With this arrangement, as suggested-in FIG. 2, when the straparrangement has been secured to the package, the inner end segments 16,18 can be drawn upwardly to form carrying loops as shown.

The straps 10, 12, 14v may be made from any appropriate elastic materialsuch as rubber which preferably has relatively high frictionalcharacteristics so that it may provide a still further grip on thearticles being carried. Because of the elasticity and flexibility of thestraps it may be employed to retain a number of books or like articleswhich are of different sizes because the straps will conform tothegeneral configuration of the articles which make up the package.

Each of the straps may be of different colors which may enhance itsattractiveness to children of school age. The carrying loops formed bythe segments 16, 18 are easily and comfortably held.

It should be understood that the foregoing description of the inventionis intended merely to be illustra-.

tive thereof and that other modifications and embodiments maybe apparentto those skilled in the art without departing from its spirit.

Having thus described the invention what I desire to claim and secure byLetters Patent is:

l. A device for carrying a package comprising: a first strap, a secondstrap and a third strap, each of said straps being formed from anelastic material; means securing said first, second and third straps toeach other at a common location between the ends of each of said straps;said first and second straps extending along substantially the samedirection, said first strap having an end which extends outwardly fromsaid common location beyond the adjacent end of said second strap, theopposite-end of said second strap extend ing beyond the correspondingopposite end of said first strap; a looped member secured to the shortersegment of said second strap and receiving the longer segment of saidfirst strap therethrough; the shorter end of said first strap having alooped member secured thereto and receiving the longer segment of saidsecond strap therethrough; said third strap extending substantiallytransverse to said first and second straps; and fastener means securedto the outermost end of each of said first and second straps and to eachof the ends of the third strap to enable said straps to be vvrappedabout said package and to enable said fasteners to be secured togetheron the opposite side I the short segment of said first strap overlyingthe long segment of said second strap and said short segment of saidsecond strap underlying said long segment of said first strap.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

said first and second straps being of substantially equal length.

5. A device as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

the short segments of each of said first and second straps being ofsubstantially the same length. I =l

1. A device for carrying a package comprising: a first strap, a secondstrap and a third strap, each of said straps being formed from anelastic material; means securing said first, second and third straps toeach other at a common location between the ends of each of said straps;said first and second straps extending along substantially the samedirection, said first strap having an end which extends outwardly fromsaid common location beyond the adjacent end of said second strap, theopposite end of said second strap extending beyond the correspondingopposite end of said first strap; a looped member secured to the shortersegment of said second strap and receiving the longer segment of saidfirst strap therethrough; the shorter end of said first strap having alooped member secured thereto and receiving the longer segment of saidsecond strap therethrough; said third strap extending substantiallytransverse to said first and second straps; and fastener means securedto the outermost end of each of said first and second straps and to eachof the ends of the third strap to enable said straps to be wrapped aboutsaid package and to enable said fasteners to be secured together on theopposite side of said package.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid fastener means comprises: a ring secured to the outermost end ofone of said straps; and a hook secured to the outermost end of each ofthe other straps, said ring and hooks being constructed and arranged toenable said hooks to be detachably connected to said ring.
 3. A deviceas defined in claim 1 further comprising: the short segment of saidfirst strap overlying the long segment of said second strap and saidshort segment of said second strap underlying said long segment of saidfirst strap.
 4. A device as defined in claim 1 further comprising: saidfirst and second straps being of substantially equal length.
 5. A deviceas defined in claim 1 further comprising: the short segments of each ofsaid first and second straps being of substantially the same length.